getting a new fish tank

[mollykins]

seeing as I have barbs, danios, w.c.m.minnows and a goldfish in a coldwater tank and I want a new, bigger one for my birthday, should I get a tropical one, but set it to about 22*c? Or should I get a thermometer to see what the temperature of the water is first? The room is almsot always heated to about 20*c . . . .

[hammerman]

Do yourself a favour and take the advice you were given last time you posted. Barbs and Danios are tropical fish and require a temp of 74-80 f to be happy. Wcmm and goldfish are temperate or coldwater fish and require a temp lower than 70f to be happy. However, i have kept Wcmm at trop temps.

Keep one lot or the other...but not both....it's cruel.

[mollykins]

Well a danio and wcmm have died today, the tropical barbs are doing better! Umm in english money? what about whatever 72 is in celcius? 18?

[mollykins]

So should I see what the water temp is, before having to buy a heater, it's a warm room.

[wildwood]

72°F is 22°C, still a bit low for a tropical tank. Why not get a small tropical tank in addition to your coldwater tank and keep the barbs and danios in that?

Personally, I think it is better if you asked for a thermometer for your birthday and perhaps a good book on tropical fish keeping, so you're ready to start of with tropical better informed.

[mollykins]

I didn't intentionally want to be mean to the fish, they were all sold to me in the coldwater section of a pet store.